For the process industry to continue to thrive, thousands of new recruits are needed. Today Karen McLauchlan looks at work taking place in the Tees Valley to inspire a new generation of scientists.

Billions of pounds of investment could be in the pipeline for Tees Valley's process industry - creating 20,000 jobs in the years to come.

So recruiting new talent to the industry isn't just important - it's essential.

Organisations such as the North East Process Industry Cluster and Teesside training company the TTE Technical Training Group are hard at work inspiring a new generation.

"The industry currently needs around 1,000 new apprentices," said Stan Higgins, chief executive of NEPIC.

"We really need to get the message across that there are great careers to be had in this industry."

NEPIC has already launched a special DVD to encourage more 14 to 19-year-olds to consider a career in the process industry. A version aimed at graduates is to be launched soon.

"The message is starting to get through," added Dr Higgins.

"In past years we've had apprenticeship schemes which we've struggled to fill. This year the same course is over-subscribed."

Work is also under way to bring a National Skills Academy for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industry to the North-east.

An announcement is due in the near future from the Department for Education and Skills about the Process Industry National Skills Academy - PINSA.

Dr Higgins added: "PINSA will help the industry ensure the highest standard of skill training needed by this science and engineering-based sector.

"We're very hopeful the academy will be based here in the Tees Valley. It would raise the profile of the industry."

The TTE Technical Training Group was set up 17 years ago.

Originally established as a joint venture company and owned by ICI and British Steel, it became independent in 1999 and has continued to grow and develop its programme of training.

The Middlesbrough-based company now employs around 200 staff, with 60% of its work involved in training new recruits for the process sector.

"Providing skilled staff is essential to the process industry," said Keith Hunter, managing director of TTE.

"We need a constant stream of young people coming into the sector - the demand is greater than ever."

As well as recruiting 16-18-year-olds, TTE also helps re-skill people looking to enter the industry after working in other sectors.

"We have 250 first year students on our books this year," said Mr Hunter, "that compares to a typical 150.

"I don't remember a time in the last ten years when there has been so much interest and activity in the process industry."

Students training with TTE complete four years of practical work, study and workplace experience.

Mr Hunter added: "We can see there being increasing demand for staff in the sector in the next five to 15 years.

"It's really important to get the message across that this is a great industry to work in with exciting opportunities.

"Because it takes four years to train an apprentice, we have to predict what skills the industry will need in the future. Having a skilled workforce is essential."

Young women are also increasingly looking to enter the field of engineering in the North-east.

A record six girls joined TTE's Tees Valley Production Technician Studentship and the Student Engineering Programme at the end of last year - the highest ever female recruitment in the organisation's history.

"We are constantly recruiting and looking for more people," added Mr Hunter. "There are opportunities for everyone in this industry."

Teesside experts have been fuelling local youngsters' interest in the appliance of science.

A team from the Centre for Process Innovation at Wilton welcomed pupils from Corpus Christi School in Middlesbrough who discovered new ways of creating energy.

The school visited CPI's fuel cell development centre and took part in experiments as part of the Children Challenging Industry project in the North-east.

The nine to 11-year-olds found out about fuel cells, the various renewable sources that can be used to power fuel cells and how they can help the environment.

The eager young scientists tried some hands-on experiments pressing home the message in a fun way.

A mini hydrogen car was used to show how the light from the sun on a solar panel can be converted into electricity. The pupils then experimented by racing the cars, finding out which ran out of fuel first and learning how to refuel them.

They also used lemons to power an LED clock - and had to work out how many fruits it would take to create the same power as a 1.5v battery.

Children Challenging Industry aims to demystify the process industry and enthuse pupils with a love of science.

Nigel Perry, chief executive of CPI, said: "It is gratifying to think we could encourage future generations to take up a career in the process industry while at the same time spreading the word about the great work of Centre for Process Innovation."

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A Teesside teacher is helping fire the imagination of budding new talent - and prove science can be fun.

And Nicky Waller's efforts to encourage more nine to 11-year-olds to find out about science and industry has led to her being named Primary School Teacher of the Year by the Institute of Physics.

The 33-year-old from Ingleby Barwick, pictured above, works for the Children Challenging Industry Scheme, run by York University, as a primary science advisory teacher. The scheme is supported by Wilton-based NEPIC - the North East Process Industry Cluster - where Nicky is based.

Her role is to visit primary schools across Tees Valley to teach science in a fun and interesting way. In the past year she has visited 35 schools, working both in the classroom and taking youngsters on visits to local firms to experience industry first hand.

"My work is all about changing children's perceptions and igniting their interest in science at a young age," she explained.

"Getting them involved with hands-on experiments in the classroom and then going out on a site visit really captures their imagination."

She added: "The process industry is crying out for more new people. Getting young people interested from an early age is so important."